Sports

Elegbeleye says NPFL Broadcast Rights still Available, no Exclusivity

Published

3 years ago

November 22, 2023

Companies seeking to acquire Broadcast rights of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) have been invited to approach the league body with offers for negotiation.

Chairman of the NPFL, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye on Wednesday clarified that the adopted marketing approach of the board is for non-exclusivity which have not foreclosed the signing up of more rights holders.

Elegbeleye described as shocking, claims by an individual alleging that there was an offer for $11m dollars to the NPFL for the rights before the StarTimes deal was executed.

“For the avoidance of doubt and for public records, the NPFL and StarTimes deal took months to conclude and all through the duration of our negotiations, nobody approached us with any offer”, explained the NPFL Chairman.

He further narrated efforts of the defunct Interim Management Committee (IMC) to attract a Broadcast partner including getting the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to broker a meeting with Supersport which at the end didn’t express interest to take up the offer.

“The NPFL has an office in Abuja and the facilitator of the said $11m offer knows this place and has contacts of the NFF President. We are still very much open to negotiate as our deal with StarTimes provides for a third party investor.

“Let the person please come to our office or to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) because we are still open for more partnerships in the Broadcast space”.
The NPFL boss explained that the unbundling of the broadcast bouquet has made it possible to accommodate multiple partners.

“It is obvious that we have unbundled the broadcast products and segmented the number of matches any rights owner can show every matchday. So there is still a window to accommodate genuine interests in our league broadcast partnership”, declared Elegbeleye, who also is the NFF Second Vice President.

Faulting claims that the League fail foul of the Public Procurement Act which governs sales of government assets in the country, the former member of the Federal House of Representatives, said, “the NPFL is incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and is not captured in government funding.

“We do not receive funding from Government but run our programme from money generated through sponsorships and we operate a transparent system that accounts for sponsors/investors funds to maintain the integrity of the league.

“In any case, we have made sufficient noise right from the inception of the IMC and we were able to have the very successful Super 6 on television, so there’s no person in the industry who is not aware that the League hasn’t been on television for the past six years. Where were they”? he retorted.

So far, the NPFL has secured two Broadcast Partners in Propel Sports Africa (PSA) for the Over The Top (OTT) platform and StarTimes for the Direct To Home (DTH) cable platform.

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Sports

NSC, NOC Task Journalists on Gender Equality in Sports Reporting

Published

2 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel and Chairperson of the NOC Women’s Commission, Professor Florence Adeyanju, have urged sports journalists to intensify awareness of women’s participation and achievements in sports.

They made the call on Monday in Abuja while speaking at the opening of a two-day seminar organised by the NOC Women’s Commission for sports journalists, aimed at promoting gender equality and improving media coverage of women in sports.

Olopade stressed that women could not be sidelined in Nigeria’s sports development, urging journalists to give greater attention to female athletes and their contributions to the sector.

In his remarks, Eng Gumel said the media had a significant role in shaping public perception of women in sports, noting that balanced and inclusive reporting would encourage more girls to participate and inspire women to take up leadership positions.

He described the seminar as a strategic initiative to change the narrative surrounding women’s participation and achievements in sports, while commending the Women’s Commission for its commitment to promoting gender equality.
According to him, the seminar was designed not merely to improve sports reporting but also to change the narrative surrounding women’s participation and achievements in the sporting sector.
He noted that the programmes had helped build capacity, provide mentorship and inspire women to contribute more effectively to sports development
The president described the journalists’ seminar as a strategic way to conclude the tenure of the current Women Commission, expressing satisfaction that its final programme focused on the media’s influence in advancing women’s participation in sports.

He urged participants to make the most of the seminar by engaging actively, asking questions and acquiring the knowledge needed to become advocates for women in sports journalism.

Earlier in her welcome addressed, the Chairperson of the NOC Women’s Commission, Professor Florence Adeyanju, called on journalists to use their influence to promote fairness, inclusiveness and equal opportunities for women and girls in sports.

Adeyanju observed that although sports had traditionally been perceived as a male-dominated field, many women had overcome barriers to participate and excel.

She noted that sports offered enormous benefits to girls, including improved skills, self-confidence and resilience, while opening doors to lifelong opportunities.

According to her, journalists’ reports, photographs and attitudes significantly influence public perceptions of female athletes, warning against coverage that prioritises physical appearance over sporting skills and achievements.

She urged participants to embrace modern sports reporting techniques that challenge stereotypes and remove barriers that have hindered women’s participation in sports.

Adeyanju also encouraged the journalists to share the knowledge acquired at the seminar and produce reports that would inspire future generations.

She expressed appreciation to Gumel and the NOC board for supporting the commission’s initiative.

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